Archive: July 2009 (271-280 of 444)

Jul 15 2009 06:00 PM ET

Watch your back, Miley/Demi/Selena/Ashley/Vanessa! Meet Disney's next star: Bridgit Mendler

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Filed under: Television and tagged: , ,

Jonas_l Bridgit Mendler may have just hit the jackpot. According to a story in The Hollywood Reporter today, the 16-year-old Mendler has been cast as the lead in a new Disney Channel sitcom called Good Luck Charlie, which is set to premiere some time in 2010.

She's already been a guest star on Disney's Jonas Brothers' show, Jonas, and she'll soon be in a four-episode arc on the Selena Gomez-led The Wizards of Waverly Place (where she'll undoubtedly garner fans simply because she's playing a vampire!). And you might have read about her — however briefly — in our recent story titled "Breaking Up With Disney" where we heralded her as a future familiar face in the Mouse House. (And that story sort of explains why Disney needs a new bevy of stars, anyway.)

It's probably a little premature to tell current Disney stars Miley Cyrus, Demi Lovato, Selena Gomez, Ashley Tisdale, and Vanessa Hudgens to watch their backs because of this gal (even though I did just that in the headline of this post). But this is exactly how Disney unveils their new talent — slowly and surely. Like, "Hmmm, we put Bridgit in Jonas and people liked her. Let's try Wizards of Waverly Place." Then it's, "How about her own show?" Before long, it's, "Can she sing? She should write some songs with the Jonas Brothers? Duet with Miley? Go on a continent-consuming tour?" All signs point to Bridgit being Disney's "Next Big Thing."

In her new show, Bridgit will play Teddy Holliday next to Jason Dolley, who'll portray her brother Casey. The siblings' parents go to work full time after producing their new little sister Charlie, and the duo is charged with caring for her. In a move somewhat reminiscent of Nickelodeon's iCarly, Bridgit's character Teddy will create a video diary for her baby sister that tracks her daily adventures, with tidbits of advice along the way.

Anyway, PopWatchers, get used to saying the name Bridgit Mendler. You'll likely hear a lot more of it when the show premieres next year. You can say you heard it from EW first! Anyone think I'm totally off-base?

More from EW:
Breaking Up With Disney
Miley Cyrus: Disney developing movie 'Wings' around star
Disney's 'The Princess and the Frog' trailer
Miley's Life After Disney

Jul 15 2009 05:22 PM ET

'Dark Blue' star Dylan McDermott takes the EW Pop Culture Personality Test

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Filed under: Television and tagged: ,

Dylan-McDermott_l On TNT's newest drama Dark Blue (premieres tonight at 10 p.m. ET), Dylan McDermott stars as Carter Shaw, the head of a small team of undercover cops in Los Angeles who take down the city's worst criminals. "This is a character who is deeply conflicted," he says. "He's really good at his work, but the only problem is that he doesn't have much of a life. He finds himself in his mid-40s, sort of lost and empty and obsessed with his work because it's the one thing he understands." It's a heavy role that McDermott (Big Shots, The Practice) is clearly enjoying. "I found myself in a dungeon on a Tuesday night at 1 a.m. handcuffed, in the dark, with a gun to my head," he says. "It was pretty interesting to be that person." We thought we'd continue the torture interrogation with an EW Pop Culture Personality Test…

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: When do you talk back to the TV?
DYLAN McDERMOTT: My favorite show right now is Locked Up Abroad. It's amazing. It's on National Geographic. It's real people telling their stories about how they did prison time, how they got caught, and then they recreate them. It's a remarkable show.

The movie you have to watch every time you spot it on cable?
Taxi Driver. The movie's just hypnotic for me. The music, the story, De Niro, Jodie Foster, and Harvey Keitel…

The movie that makes you cry?
I would have to say the original Breathless.

READ FULL STORY »

Jul 15 2009 05:00 PM ET

Tony Hale's new Web series 'Ctrl': Just our type

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Oh, Tony Hale, we love you so. Arrested Development's former Buster stars in a new Web series for NBC called Ctrl, based on the short film Ctrl Z in which Hale also starred, about an office drone whose keyboard magically allows him to "undo" just about anything. So far, the third episode is the best:

In case you didn't notice, the series is sponsored by a certain mass-produced iced tea, hence the constant presence of a bottle of said product in every shot, which is the only real complaint I have about the otherwise charming little show. (Well, that and I'm not crazy about NBC's video player.) Hale's vulnerable everydude is something I'd watch in any format, and the zippy storyline makes for ideal Web viewing.

Whattaya think, PopWatchers? Are you losing control for Ctrl, or are you hitting Esc?

Jul 15 2009 04:44 PM ET

TV on DVD is our Must this week, what's yours?

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It's a good thing I don't actually have anything to do this weekend, because the sheer volume of amazing television released on DVD yesterday will be taking up all of my free time — and my Must List — for the foreseeable future. As Ken Tucker noted yesterday, beloved '90s comedy series The State finally got its long-awaited release (just in time for the premiere of Michael and Michael Have Issues on Comedy Central tonight), and the second season of AMC's '60s-set drama Mad Men hit shelves in preparation for the show's third season premiere later this summer. But wait! There's more. The HBO movie Grey Gardens, starring Drew Barrymore and Jessica Lange, made its DVD debut, so all HBO-less citizens can watch the movie about Jackie O.'s eccentric cousins in the comfort of their own homes, as opposed to commandeering the couches of their premium cable-having friends. It's the best thing to watch for the day, you understand.

Get psyched by watching the full-length trailer for Grey Gardens below, then tell us what's on your Must List this week. List up to three items from current TV/movies/music/books/games/online. Don't forget your e-mail address, in case we decide to use your submission in the magazine. Deadline is Thursday, July 16 at noon ET.

Jul 15 2009 04:35 PM ET

New 'House' promo is crazy good

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Oh, hello, promo for the new season of House. My, how moody you seem.

The buzz cut certainly agrees with Hugh Laurie, maybe even more than it agrees with Stephen Colbert. One more and it's a trend, kids!

This promo definitely makes me want to, uh, play House. Are you with me, PopWatchers? And who should shave his (or her) head next? I'm pulling for Rob Lowe, just cause I think he's purty enough to really rock it.

Jul 15 2009 04:30 PM ET

'America's Got Talent' recap: Repeat offenders

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As some of you pointed out in the comments of last week's recaps, many of the contestants performing on America's Got Talent are hardly new to the game. Saucy comedian Grandma Lee just missed the finals of Last Comic Standing in 2004 with many of the sames jokes she told last week. Acrodunk, the basketball-dunking acrobats, already performed on AGT three years ago (during the BRANDY era.) Next week's episode even touts a repeat singer, returning to the stage after being brutally XXX-ed in her last attempt. Second time's a charm? There's no country in the world more invested in second chances than America, and no show more dedicated to honoring that tradition than AGT.

And yet, are we really expected to be entertained by someone already given their "one shot," their "one opportunity" (this post brought to you by 8 Mile), who is merely trumpeting their same exaggerated act for a second time? Why should viewers be asked to treat the moment like it's now suddenly something heartwarming and special? Time to put a stop to this ridiculousness, guys. And I say we start with former American Idol contestant Kelli Glover.

READ FULL STORY »

Jul 15 2009 04:00 PM ET

Must List Live!: Is the new Harry Potter movie too lovey-dovey? Plus: Daniel Radcliffe gives us his Must pick!

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When it comes to the Harry Potter movies, some people want to see him fall in love, and some people just want to see him cast spells: I suppose it all depends on what kind of wand you like to see him wave. (Poof! I just cast a spell of bawdiness!) Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is out today, and on Must List Live!, Dalton Ross says the movie has a bit too much romance, not enough abracadabra. Me, I say he’s just scared of cooties. And as a bonus, none other than Daniel Radcliffe stops by to give his own personal Must List pick: can you deduce what Harry Potter might pick?

Jul 15 2009 03:30 PM ET

'Hair' goes dark for gay marriage: What's stopping the rest of the Great White Way?

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Hair_l The cast and crew of Hair clearly knows who makes up a huge portion of their audience. Or maybe they're just good people. Or both. Why? The Broadway production announced yesterday that it plans to cancel its Oct. 11 performance so that the cast can be in Washington, D.C. and participate in the National Equality March for gay marriage. Yes, gays love Hair, gays want equality, and such a move only endears we gays to Hair even more. Smart! See what I mean about knowing their audience? Let the sun shine in, indeed! Woohoo!

According to a Hair producer, the fight for gay marriage has become a company passion after activist efforts were spearheaded by star Gavin Creel, who is openly gay and plays Claude. What's great about this particular move, however, is that it's not like the announcement out of the Hair camp was that Creel will be taking a day off from the show so he can go down to D.C. by himself and fight a personal fight. No, the entire cast (and, although it doesn't say it explicitly in the Variety story, the crew, too?) will be going. It's inspiring to see Creel be supported by the entire cast, whether they're gay or straight.

My one question, in light of this news: How are the rest of the casts on the Great White Way going to react? You all gonna ante up and make the trip, too? Just because Hair encompasses themes of sexual freedom doesn't mean that it's the only Broadway show loved by gays. Hell, gays love most of Broadway! We watch it, work for it, write about it (ahem), etc. So I think the challenge should be for more productions than just Hairto take Oct. 11 off and head down to D.C. to march for equal rights. Wouldn't you agree, PopWatchers? Shouldn't shows like Wicked and Billy Elliot follow the lead of Hair?

More Stage coverage from EW:
'Oleanna' with Julia Stiles and Bill Pullman is Broadway bound
Jude Law headed to Broadway in 'Hamlet'
'The Little Mermaid' on Broadway to close

Jul 15 2009 02:08 PM ET

President Obama's All-Star Game Pitch: Dad jeans on display

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Filed under: About Last Night, Television and tagged: , , , , ,

When I cracked this morning’s New York Post and saw the pictures of President Barack Obama’s first pitch at last night’s All-Star Game — because, let’s get real, I didn’t watch, I was too busy with higher-brow activities like watching Big Brother — I noticed only one thing: our Commander in Chief’s dad jeans. Did anyone else see the ode to well-meaning fathers everywhere? I recognized them immediately! And wondered: Did Obama’s stylist come steal them from the closet of Frank Stransky?

I suppose President Obama is indeed a father, so we should allow him such a strike against humanity. And I guess he couldn’t have come out in skin-tight baseball pants (or, rather, why not?) or the suit pants that he normally dons. But my, oh my. I wasn’t ready to see him in such an ill-fitting pair of what look like 501s. I thought he was cooler than that, somehow. This humanizing of the President doesn’t sit so well with me. See the video of his pitch below — the view of the egregious dad jeans is best about 50 seconds in.

I guess it should be said that, forgetting about the dad jeans breach for a second, Obama did do his duty and didn’t let the ceremonial first pitch hit the dirt, but just barely. (St. Louis Cardinals all-star Albert Pujols saved him by casually making a really nice grab at the last second.) Also, random observation: Obama is a lefty. I’m sure everyone else already knew this (or not?), but I’m just coming up to speed. Makes sense, since lefties are usually extra smart and all that.

PopWatchers: Did you take note of Obama’s dad jeans? Are they also straight from your father’s glamorous wardrobe? Did you watch the All-Star Game — or were you in the gutter with me watching Big Brother instead?

More on President Obama from EW:
Denzel Washington: Would he make a good Obama?
Jonas Brothers: Nick Jonas talks Miley, Obama, and his favorite new band
Obama vs. McCain: The Great Presidential Pop-Culture Debate

Jul 15 2009 01:10 PM ET

Pop Culture Pet Peeve: YouTube anachronism in 'The Hurt Locker'

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Filed under: Movies and tagged: , ,

Hurt-Locker-youtube_l Man oh man is The Hurt Locker a great movie. And you don't have to just take my word for it. EW's Lisa Schwarzbaum gave Kathryn Bigelow's intense drama about bomb defusers in Baghdad a solid A. Part of the film's strength is its unflinching realism: The three central actors — Jeremy Renner, EW Action Hottie Anthony Mackie, and Brian Geraghty — appear on screen not as glossy stars, but as dirty, sweaty, supremely stressed-out soldiers stuck in the middle of a dehumanizing war zone. I was pretty shocked, then, to discover a major anachronism in this otherwise air-tight movie. In an early scene, Geraghty's character observes a local man filming him with a video camera and says, "He's getting ready to put me on YouTube." Title cards at the beginning of the film tell us that The Hurt Locker takes place in 2004. YouTube, on the other hand, didn't launch until 2005. Ooops.

Since I am an obsessive freak, the error nagged at me for the rest of the movie. Which is why I'm adding glaring anachronisms to my ever-growing list of Pop Culture Pet Peeves. I'm sure you've all been irked by them over the years, too. Which take-you-out-of-the-viewing-experience anachronisms — in movies or TV — have bugged the crap outta you? Oh do share, PopWatchers. You know how I love a communal gripe fest.    

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